Date Night
by LilyGhost
Summary: A planned night out turns into an even better one spent at home.


**For some reason, everything I see I have to try to incorporate into a story. Or in this case, actually write a story based solely on two specific things. Everything familiar belongs to Janet. The mistakes are mine alone.**

I had myself date-ready in record time. After a day of useless and/or irritating phone calls, about a skip and from my mother, a takedown that was a major letdown, and returning home from that to discover Woody had _I-stole-your-Tastykakes_ breath, had me looking forward to my date with Ranger _even more_ than I had when he asked me on Monday to not make plans for Friday.

Hal called five minutes ago to tell me that Ranger's back from his two-hour bodyguard job for a corporate bigwig. He left in appropriately-named _corporate wear_ for the head honchos meet-and-greet with equally wealthy paper-pushers, so he wouldn't need any time to change clothes before we leave. And for once, I didn't want him to have to wait for me.

I put two fresh green beans in Rex's food dish - living with Ranger has definitely broadened my furry friend's _culinary_ horizons - but I quickly shut the door on his new hamster condo when I heard the apartment door open.

"Don't close the door!" I shouted. "Believe it or not, I'm actually ready to go!"

I saw the grin that had been ready to form on Ranger's lips as I left the kitchen and rushed towards him.

"I just have to grab my bag," I told him, reaching behind him for the designer black clutch his parents had given me for my birthday, "and my coat for later ... in case I order two desserts and we get back late."

I'm proud of myself for having both waiting at the door, ready to go. Did I mention that I'm looking forward to tonight?

I can tell by the heavy silence and even thicker air, that he approves of either my _on-timeness_ or my outfit. Or I thought he did up until I went to head out of the still open seventh-floor door, only to have it slammed shut in front of me before I'd moved more than one step towards it.

"What was that for?" I asked, turning to face him.

I had to tip my head back to see his eyes, he was suddenly _that_ close.

"I'm not letting you go out in that," he stated.

"Why not? It's lacy but nothing is showing."

Okay ... there _is_ a runway of skin on display from my neck to my diaphragm, but the lacy top half of my black dress is fully lined and isn't sewn to be too far apart, so the parts of me he appreciates the most are still covered. The skirt of the dress is purposely tight, but it hit three inches above my knees. Some would call that modest.

Clearly Ranger is NOT one of those people.

I sighed and put my things back down, trying not to feel dejected because all my efforts didn't exactly get me the results I wanted.

"Alright," I told him. "I'll just put something else on and then we can go."

I tried to step past him, but he blocked me. "You're always beautiful to me, Babe, but you look exceptional tonight."

If I applied makeup like Lula or Joyce, my confused expression would've cracked it. "So why did you just slam the door?"

"Because you're too perfect to share."

He dumped his keys in the silver dish kept on the sideboard and he pulled out his phone. "Plan B," he told someone.

My eyebrows asked the question for me.

"Ella," he answered, after he ended the call. "We'll have dinner in."

"But ..."

"I'll be looking at you enough to equal a roomful of people, Steph. You didn't get dressed up for nothing."

" _Your_ attention is the only one I was after."

"I know. And now you'll have all of it ... _privately_."

No one in their right mind would have an issue with _that_. He pulled me into his arms and gave me the kind of kiss that should be reserved for the bedroom, not the front entrance, but I'm not complaining about that, either.

"I mean it, Babe, you deserve to be seen, but I don't trust myself tonight if someone looks too long."

I tensed in his arms. "Did something go wrong with the job? You made it sound like an easy and boring one an hour ago when you called."

"It went as planned. Tank's still bitching about the suit he had to wear for it."

"If he knew how pretty he looks all gussied up, he wouldn't worry so much about it."

An eyebrow went up at that statement.

"He's your best friend," I explained, "but since we've been together, he's been like my overly and _overtly_ protective big brother, so I can say he looks okay. _You,_ however, defy description in the best possible, and hormonally-lethal, way."

"Love you, too, Steph."

I would've kissed him this time, but Ella has her own kind of superpowers and was already knocking with what I'd guess is something as complicated and more delicious than any Thanksgiving dinner in about an eighth amount of the prep time.

Ranger let her into our apartment, and her ever-present smile got bigger when she saw my dress. Her wink said it all ... she didn't need to ask why our plans changed. She's always been polite and really friendly to me, but ever since it was made clear that I'm in Ranger's life for good or forever, whichever lasts longer, she and Mama Manoso have been taking turns 'mom'-ing me. I haven't put up much of a fight against it, either. To make a good thing even better, Ranger has amused himself by upping the competition between the two women to see who could spoil me more.

"The two of you make such a beautiful couple," she told us.

"We do look perfect for a _night in_ after a _day out_ ," I said.

"I hope you enjoy dinner and the rest of your evening," she replied, handing the tray to Ranger.

When we were alone again, I noticed we got the Turbo-tray tonight. Between two covered silver serving dishes, sat a small crystal bowl half-filled with water. Ella had floated yellow roses and pre-lit little round candles along the surface of it.

"How does she do it?" I asked him. "And so quickly?"

"Magic."

"I know _you're_ kidding, but _I_ actually believe that."

He handled the food while I put the bowl of flowers on the table.

"Champagne or wine?" He asked, as I was sitting down.

"Tonight's already different ... let's use the bubbly. You know, _yours_ is the only fridge that has random bottles of hundred dollar champagne in it."

"Some nights require it."

"And some nights just need a beer," I pointed out.

"You can have a Corona instead."

"No. The day wasn't _that bad_."

He popped the cork and poured us each a glass before joining me.

"Did you get Hankins?" He asked.

I took a sip while he uncovered Ella's _meal-sterpiece_... which I can see is something herby and crunchy coating something pork-based, along with one of my favorite things ... creamy, cheesy pasta. Though she slipped spinach and some red peppers into it.

"No," I answered. "But tomorrow's the day I corner and cuff him. I can feel it."

"Is that all you're feeling?"

"Well, I feel pretty happy that we get to have dinner together tonight. It's been a busy week. I also feel really lucky that I get to love you."

" _I'm_ the lucky one, Babe."

"With almost everything, but not when it comes to partners. I win the lottery everyday in that area."

"Wanna bet?"

"Jeez, I wasn't making it a contest. I was joking. Okay, not really joking. I ..."

I had to stop talking because my mouth suddenly dropped open in shock. What he's holding out to me might as well have been a freakin' unicorn. Given both of our histories and past statements, 'marriage' was a similarly mythical thing that _could_ be lurking out there somewhere, but we'd likely never see it ourselves.

"What's with the flashlight?" I asked, fighting the urge to cover my eyes to keep my retinas safe from the candlelight reflecting off the diamond.

"This is your engagement ring."

"You want to be engaged to me?"

" _No_. I want to be _married_ to you, but traditionally ... an engagement comes first."

My fingers were hovering over his, but I still didn't touch the ring. The platinum band is thin, but the rest of it is proportionally large in comparison. The diamond in the center is almost the same size as my knuckle, and under the center stone on each side, there are three leaf-shaped diamonds. Batman found the jewelry equivalent of a perfect, single-stemmed rose. Jesus Christ, I didn't have more than a sip of alcohol and I'm already thinking drunk thoughts and making myself nauseous.

"If you don't like it," Ranger said, "we can pick out something different tomorrow."

" _Are you kidding?_ It's coming from you so I automatically love it."

"Then why are you looking at it like that?"

"Sorry. I was just thinking it's big enough that I could probably just slap some tires on it and use it for a friggin' car. Knowing you, I'm betting it's worth more than what I'm driving around now."

I not only got a grin out of him, but an abbreviated laugh, too. That sound alone makes tonight one of my favorite nights _ever_.

He took my left hand and proceeded to add a five-pound weight to it. Alright ... I admit that's an exaggeration, but not a big one.

"I can't believe this ..." I said to myself, and sorta to him, too.

"I can't, either. I just discovered something other than my naked body that has you forgetting all about Fettuccine with any kind of sauce."

"Very funny."

"It's true," he said, looking pointedly at my untouched food.

Without a second glance at my plate, I pushed my chair back and got up. He just mentioned something more delicious than noodles ... a naked him. I rounded the table and plopped myself down in his lap. His arms came around me and he laced his fingers together on my hip.

"What can I do for you, Babe?"

"Nothing ... you've always done more than you should have when it comes to me."

"I disagree."

"I know ... and thank you for that, and for loving me. You planned all along to propose tonight?" I asked, still not sure if the shock has worn off ... if it'll _ever_ wear off.

"Yes. I wanted to take you to your favorite restaurant to do it, but then I decided this should be kept a private moment between us."

"So it wasn't the sexiness of my dress after all."

"Don't underestimate yourself or my possessive nature regarding you, Steph. Your dress made up fifty-percent of my mind."

"Did Ella know?"

"No. I just made sure in advance that there would be a backup in place."

"You're pretty incredible," I told him.

"As are you. And now you are officially _my_ Babe."

"I've always been _yours_ , you just had to work a little harder to get me to see it."

"It paid off."

"Yeah, it definitely did. And now _my work_ begins."

"We can elope. I don't want you stressed or harassed over wedding plans."

I pressed a small kiss to his mouth before I shook my head. "That isn't what I meant."

"What were you referring to then?"

"It's going to take a lot of hours, _really_ close proximity, and plenty of hands-on activities, but I'm determined to have you feeling as grateful for me as I am for you."


End file.
